The Palestine Chronology

1st official Syrian-Israeli talks since suspension of negotiations 2/94 begin in Washington; are expanded to include military advisors fr. both sides in hopes of giving momentum to negotiations on the Golan. Israel sends military secy. Maj. Gen. Dani Yatom, IDF Chief of Staff Baraq; Syria sends Lt. Gen Hikmat al-Shishabi. (Ma'ariv 12/21, QY 12/22 in FBIS 12/22; QY 12/22, Ma'ariv 12/23 in FBIS 12/23; WP 12/23; NYT 12/24; WT 12/25; SARR 12/25 in FBIS 12/27; WT 12/26; NYT 12/31; MEI 1/6) (see 12/19)

Arafat cancels Fateh Central Comm. mtg. in Tunis at last minute, reportedly after learning he might be presented with a demand by the comm.'s majority to waive some of his powers, incorporate opposition into PA. (ITV 12/22 in FBIS 12/23; PR 12/24; MEI 1/20)

Arne Christianson, AIPAC legislative director and top Congressional lobbyist, announces he will leave AIPAC to become senior policy adviser to incoming House speaker Newt Gingrich. He will deal with budget, appropriations issues. Brad Gordon, current director of the House subcommittee on international operations, will replace Christianson at AIPAC. (WT 12/23: WJW 12/29)

2 IDF soldiers killed, 7 wounded when Hizballah attacks IDF post in southern Lebanon in retaliation for car bombing 12/21. (NYT, WP, WT 12/24; JP 12/31)

Palestinians, Israeli Peace Now activists begin sit-in to protest construction of 500 apartments in Efrat settlement in West Bank, nr. Jerusalem. (QY 12/22 in FBIS 12/22; PR 12/24; WT 12/31)

Hamas mbr. dies in West Bank, sparking Palestinian protests, clashes with IDF. IDF says man died when bomb he was making exploded; family says IDF killed him. (QY, VOP 12/22 in FBIS 12/22)

PM Rabin denies Israel is responsible for car bomb detonated in Beirut 12/21. (ITV 12/22 in FBIS 12/23)

UNRWA announces frmr. U.S. Amb. to Iraq April Glaspie will become agency's head of operations in o.t. (JP 12/23 in FBIS 12/23)

Israeli police detain Rabbi Moshe Levinger, leader of Hebron settlers, then release him on $1,700 bond after questioning him about 11/93 incident in which he intruded into Haram al-Ibrahimi and threatened mosque official. Also questioned is his wife, Miriam, for 10/93 rampage through Palestinian market in Hebron. (CSM, NYT, WT 3/15)

Israeli police seek to confiscate 23 IDF issued submachine guns fr. settlers, out of 9,000 distributed. (NYT, WT 3/15)

Kach destroys mbrship. lists, other evidence in Jerusalem offices after being banned by 3/13 cabinet decision. Kahane Chai, also banned, closes its Jerusalem office. (NYT, WT 3/15)

Peace Now issues report estimating cost of relocating settlers in Israel proper at $2.5 b. (MM 3/15)

Israeli officials, U.S. Middle East talks coordinator Dennis Ross meet PLO Chmn. Arafat in Tunis to discuss resuming Israel-PLO negotiations. (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 3/15; WP, WT 3/16)

Secy. of State Warren Christopher meets Russian FM Andrei Kozyrev in Vladivostok, urges Russia to coordinate its efforts on Middle East peace with U.S. (CSM, WP 3/15)

Israeli FM Peres and PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Mahmud 'Abbas release statement saying PLO-Israel talks on Israeli withdrawal fr. Gaza and Jericho will resume in Taba, Egypt, "based on the Declaration of Principles and the Cairo understandings." (Qol Yisra'el 1/6 in FBIS 1/6; MM, WT 1/6; CSM, WP 1/7)

Talks in Tunis btwn. PLO leadership, Palestinian delegation demanding reform conclude. (al-Sharq al-Awsat 1/6 in FBIS 1/10; MM 1/7)

Israeli PM Rabin visits Allenby Bridge to reaffirm that Israel will control border crossings during autonomy period. (NYT, WP, WT 1/7)

Alleged Islamic Jihad mbr. stabs IDF soldier in Jerusalem and is shot dead. (Qol Yisra'el 1/6 in FBIS 1/6; MM 1/6; WP 1/7)

Frmr. Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir, in radio interview, comments on 1/5 bomb incident in New York, saying "Peace Now has caused the State of Israel more harm than would have been caused had the bombs gone off." Shamir faces criticism for remarks, claims he meant to say opposite of what he did. (NYT 1/8; WJW 1/13)